Summer Camp Special- Part 1

Kids these days have the option of so many activities for their vacation - be it sports camp, swimming, robotics, crafts , calligraphy and what not.. But is it as enjoyable as playing all day long in the open grounds, climbing trees, aiming at mangoes and jamuns, swimming in the natural water bodies like ponds and rivers, attending temple festivals, and the many wedding or any other ceremonies.. we cannot say for our generation haven't enjoyed the current summer camps and our kids wouldn't know the pleasure of our times.

We used to make snakes and mini mattresses from leaves of coconut trees, suck the nectar from form the banana flower, play for hours with touch me nots and many other such special plants n weeds.

Grandpa always used to put swings for us either in the cow shed or on one of the trees.We would also help granny makes papads and pickles.Those were really good old days.. Sadly we don't realize they are so priceless when we are young. N like old wine these memories get sweeter with time. Don't you agree?

Leaving you with some pics of my kids summer creations

Toscano

I still feel really nice when I have the home to myself. I hear some people really feel sad or bored to be alone in a home but for me its  luxury I get say once in 2-3 years. With 2 monkeys and a mother in law as full time occupants of my home, me n hubby sometimes even think of checking into some hotel so we can get some peaceful sleep.. And ya may be catch up on  some other stuff as well.


Yesterday was one of those days when the 2 elder Ms are packed off to hometown and it was just the hubby and younger M that I had to manage. I had just  boiled the pasta when hubby dear planned to go out for dinner and the mood was for a place with karaoke /live music.Since I was in the mood for pasta we zeroed in on Toscano Italiano :)

The food was lip-smacking.. The sweet potato croquette was yum. My Lo didn't try it as she thought it is hot dog and kept saying i wont eat the dog .:D  There was no live music as the singer was off it seems. So we had to adjust with just candle light dinner with some recorded music. But it sure was a nice evening and a must visit for foodies kinda place:)

From Ooty to Masinagudi

Ten years back on a cold December night I cuddled with V at Holiday Inn Ooty. That was our honeymoon trip.  After a decade, ooty is not as welcoming as it was. Blame it on the travel boom  in India - every long weekend the highways are over crowded and everybody is celebrating the social media limelight of going on vacations  :)

But thank fully our primary abode - or today's home as my little one called it was not in Ooty but a resort in Masinagudi - a small hill side foggy town  with breathtaking view.

The hot spicy indian buffet dinnet in the cold misty night was really sumptous.. The chicken was tender and juicy and really well cooked and tasty. I savored it in leisure brushing aside my guilt of eating it when trying to be almost vegetarian.. ;)

The road to the resort though is very rickety and can make sure you have a huge appetite for their yummy food when you reach. The morning view is breathtaking too..

Walking across the green mountains with the birds chirping and the chilly winds kissing your face .. it surely is a well deserved break for all city dwellers. There were many large groups dancing to the tunes of "Jimki kammal " and playing musical chair around the camp fire or in front of their pretty cottages.

I remembered the last time we had gone in a large group.Our whole extended family was in Bangalore for my sisters engagement and  we all had gone to the bennarghatta zoo. I'll leave the details for some other time.

Coming back to our Masinagudi trip, it did include a wild life safari in Bandipur forest. Kids enjoyed seeing lots and lots of deer and monkeys. My younger one loves elephants a lot and was too excited to see a baby elephant roaming around with her mom. And of course she had to be named Bandila after the forest she was born in. We also saw many of the kapish monkeys eating peanuts, fruits and what not. CutieA also loved seeing a peacock perched on top of a gate while master V was more interested in the big black bear couple and kept peeking to spot a tiger or leopard.

And finally as is the case with all good things, the vacation ends and we come back to our usual routine back home. I miss the school times when we used to go on summer vacation for 3 months and by the end of it would yearn to come back home. But sigh. guess those are the real luxuries of our times now. You can afford vacations on jet planes or a yacht but lazing around in the mangroves and aiming for guavas for 3 whole months.. I wonder if anybody does that now.. Do drop a comment if you think it is still happening somewhere and i would love to take my kids there.

Princess september

After a long time say 4 or 5 years i visited my bog and i say it does feel nice to read how things were then. There is kind of a chilling and calm feeling in your heart when you read - nostalgia.  It made me so happy i penned down these posts.

After a gap of about 5 years - I pen down again this time not as a single women, not as a wife  but as a mother not of only little V but as a mother of two :)
God granted my wish for a beautiful daughter and our princess september is here

GOA again

So off we went to goa again to relive the happy days from last year..
But Sadly for us this time guess all the families/bachelors in india thought of getting happy in Goa and ended up right next to our resort by the calangute beach..
Sigh!!..
But we are clever now arent we...
We took an off on tuesday and had started only on saturday (For once i was thankful that hubby dear has to work now on saturdays too ;))

Kidddo loved the sleeper volvo and from the time we have climbed on two of those huge things, wheels on the bus rhyme has reinforced its grasp on little V.
He was heard singing this particular song even in his sleep last week.
Not only that he has also mastered more than one tune for his favourite nursery rhyme.
So relaxing vacations really do take the stress out of your mind..
Though the tantrums and unreasonable demands from my 2.5 yr old do hype me up sometimes, but on the whole i feel at peace now :)

Now that Goa magic has been consumed to its fullest ,need to seek a better vacation spot may be??
How about maldives guys?? what say?

OOh La La Kerala..

Greeeen is the picture i get when i think of kerala..
And MOnsoons,its just a perfect blend of green and aqua... we need to ignore the brown mesh it creates though ;)
Rains are loved by many and the character it brings out in each city is also soo different.

In Mumbai you have the city rain and in kerala its like the jungle kind of rain.. WIth the thunderstorm and tall trees swaying in the background, its so very different..
Or may be i feel it is so special because i grew up enjoying it..
The entire sky turns pitch black and then the sound of the thunder is like the starting whistle to the voluminous down pour.. And the pelting raindrops are just so fat and delicious... I cannot just describe what it feels like.. And the smell of the sand with the first rains.. I'm sure we all just love that..

Looking forward to spend some time in kerala with the monsoons, after a long long time.. Hope to savour each moment at its virgin best..And not to miss a mention my train journey through the konkan during the monsoons :)

LoudLess

Is it really a thousand decibels or is it just my imagination souring.. Like a charged electron shooting up into the highest levels of activity , zigzag random threads called thoughts are always scrambling through my mind.. They say these threads too are charged with a + or a - there by being classified as positive or negative thoughts. From the Bhagavad Gita to the Robin Sharma, all preach of methods to control your negative thoughts.. Isn't that what "the secret" says too??
Its all about positivity, spreading the cheer, blah blah.. Sigh.. wish it were all as easy as it sounds..
But from all this i do agree to one thing.. Nothing is going to work out if u cry, or sulk or feel depressed. It is very logical that by doing all this you are simply wasting your own precious time. In short wasting the days of your life.
So well i guess once you know that one way is just dumb better to go the other way.. So even though its like easier said than done , that's the path which leads you to your goal, the bright one and the one you know you have to be on..
So spread positivity my dear friends..
Even though these words are not loud or shouting back at you to act, in the soft whisper of a thought , bring it on - P.O.S.I.T.I.V.I.T.Y.

i have realised the hard way - It is indeed a gift you deserve to give yourself, the much awaited holiday you yearn to take, the true path towards success.. tread on sweet positive thoughts and let the simle on your face linger on..

100

Can't believe my 100th post is coming so late.. But better late than never right? So here i go..

Been a busy month march.. with visa processing and loads of paper work.. But now i am off from work.. ha ha don't i deserve a break after just 1.5 months of hectic work?? ;)
well yes had the pay been stupendous, i would gladly call this my dream job!! But anyways 1.5 months of vacation after 1.5 months of work is amazing isn't it..
So India here i come!! After 1.5 years.. lots of 1.5 's here uh?? whats it about the half??
As heard the other night on sex & the city, according to carrie (one of the main characters) a girl sometimes need halfves.. (ya like her better half he he..) Now don't judge me by the type of sitcoms i watch, the tv here is very boring u see..
I can't express how excited i am about my vacation.. So here i am off on my big tour.. will mostly be absent form blogsville again for 1.5 months ;) unless I get the cravings to blog.. ha ha
So till then play safe u all.. And make merry!!

Love,
Diya

Hiya all..

i know i havent been around much... But thats cos it has been a real hectic month.. It has marked many many historic events in my life he he n to name a few i turned 25 last wednesday :) Finally hope that puts an end to my quarter life crisis.. ;)

N the exciting part is i am off on a vacation... hurrah!! will be back with many many pics and will catch up with all of u then.. Till then have a great week ahead all...

A gr8 day!!!

OMG.. OMG OMG
people can u believe it.. i got my drivers license today!!! not that it was impossible.. but the unbelievable part is that i got a 100/100... straight good(thats the highest they give here mind u..:P) in all the areas.. My instructor said i was excellent n i deserved a pat on the back he hehe..
n to think i had been swearing all the DPS offices n the roads n the rules here he he.. now i can go shopping to the malls n where not. he he..
okay don't u worry.. i will be safe wont drive at 90mph.. N will strictly stick to the rules.. :D
hmmm so thats one down!!! life's becoming smoother.. n i guess i ve found out ways to control my frustrations n give vent to suppressed feelings..
We marked our half anniversary recently n it rained heavily hahaha lol!!!
i have thought of doing some volunteering job this summer in the library n hope it turns out to be fun...
i love my new Nike walking shoes n they r simply gr8!!!
n ppl all this excitement is making me crazy so i better stop spilling all beans here..
have a gr8 weekend(yes for me it starts on Thursday!! :D)